Pianists from Ecuador to perform at NSU

NATCHITOCHES – Pianists Carlos Vinueza, Henry Alvarez and Dario Bueno will perform at Northwestern State University Tuesday, Oct. 15 at 7:30 p.m. in Magale Recital Hall. Admission is free. The public is invited to attend.

Vinueza and Alvarez are from from Azogues, Ecuador and were students of Bueno at the Jose Maria Rodriguez National Conservatory of Music where they graduated earlier this year. Vineuza also studied clarinet under the direction of Martin Morocho. He is a multiple award winner in national competitions.

Alvarez won numerous prizes in competitions and was awarded an honorable mention for the best performance of a Chilean work at the Claudio Arrau International Piano Competition in Quilpue, Chile.

Bueno, who is from Cuenca, Ecuador, received his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the Universidad de Cuenca. His teachers include NSU Assistant Professor of Piano Francis Yang, Mercedes Crespo and Esteban Montesdeoca. He teaches at the Jose Maria Rodriguez National Conservatory of Music and the Universidad de Cuenca. Bueno participated in the Jovenes Pianistas Festival and also the International Festival Ciudad de Cuenca. Many of his students have won prizes in competitions.

Yang worked with Vinueza and Alvarez and other students on a trip to Ecuador last year. While at the Universidad de Cuenca, Yang gave master classes, performed and researched Ecuadorian piano music. Vineueza and Alvarez are planning to study with Yang at Northwestern State next fall. Alvarez also plans to study with Associate Professor of Clarinet Dr. Malena McLaren.

Yang will present a lecture/recital, “Piano Music from Ecuador,” Friday at the Louisiana Music Teachers’ National Association State Conference at McNeese State University in Lake Charles. Vinueza, Alvarez and Bueno will perform.

They will also spend at week at NSU observing classes, touring the campus and meeting students and faculty. According to Yang, Bueno wrote his master’s thesis on group piano teaching, so it is of special interest for him to observe group piano classes, teaching methods and to study NSU’s curriculum and classroom setup.